


The Family.

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Drama, Other: See Story Notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 03:18:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/793418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blair goes undercover to help get some children out of a cult. Things don't go to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Family.

## The Family

By Fire Frog

Author's homepage: <http://www.wn.com.au/firefrog/>

The Sentinel is the property of Pet Fly and UPN. All rights reserved. No infringement of copyright intended. No money changed hands. 

All that I know of The Family I got from Australian scandal mags. Shocking stuff. So don't blame me if I get it wrong, blame them. 

* * *

Blair remembered a time when he was six and Naomi had joined a remote spiritualist group. He and his mom had been hassled by a cop that had the hots for Naomi, and they'd needed to lie low for a bit. 

Things had gone Ok at the new place, until one of the members took an interest in Blair's behavior. He had been a curious child, and not inclined to follow orders. Mani Nil had seen this as willfulness, and determined to break him of it. 

There was a ritual the adults did each day, swallowing yards of cheesecloth and then pulling it out again, to help purify themselves. Mani decided to 'cleanse' Blair. 

Naomi had walked in while the man was forcing yard after yard of the coarse material down the little boy's throat. Blair was choking, trying to squirm free, but Mani was kneeling on his chest, making it hard to breathe, ignoring the flailing fits of the child as he went about his task. 

Coming up silently behind him Naomi had dealt a savage kick to the back of his head. She followed this with a blow from a sturdy iron icon she had been polishing from the shrine. 

Gently she went to her son and helped remove the vomit stained cloth, then clutching him to her breast made for the door. Getting out they left the retreat, stopping for neither clothes nor money. They just left. Naomi Sandburg would not let anyone hurt her son. True, she hadn't been prepared for the responsibilities of having a child. Some times the parent thing just threw her. But damn it, she loved him. No sacrifice, of money, friendship or even spiritual enlightenment was worth hurt to one hair on his head. 

* * *

It was a shame the mother of the children before him hadn't cared as much for her children. There were three of them, Emily - a two year old girl with big brown eyes and a riot of short brown curls; Brian - an eight year old boy with scraped knees and falling down socks; and Marie - the eldest, a twelve year old girl with shoulder length brown hair in two neat plats and the weary eyes of an adult. They regarded the stranger with the winning smile with distrust. 

"Hi," he smiled and knelt to be at eye level, "my name is Blair and I have a message for you, from your grandparents. They want me to tell you that they love you and if you want to, they would like you to come live with them." 

"They left us. They don't want us." The boy's tone was flat, the betrayal and hurt in his eyes plain to see. Blair shook his head. 

"That is so wrong. They love you guys. The Family has been hiding where you were from them ever since your mom died. They had to hire a PI to help them find you. I've talked to your grandparents. They 'do' love and miss you. I wouldn't be here if they didn't." 

The eldest two looked at each other, wordlessly communicating. After the longest time they looked back at Blair. There was hope, guarded but real, shinning in their eyes. Blair swallowed hard. Ok, easy part over. Now to get them out of here. 

* * *

Jim Ellison sat in his quiet loft - drinking a beer and wandering what to do with his evening. Blair was off helping a friend do something archaeological for a week, so no tests, training or associated Sandburg weirdness was happening. 

/So, OK, it's mostly 'my' weirdness that he's helping me out with. / he was thinking when a knock came at the door. 

"Hold on Conner, I'm coming." Jim frowned; Megan had only got out of the hospital yesterday, why was she climbing stairs to visit him at the loft? Opening the door, he helped the pale faced and panting woman over to the couch. 

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" 

"G'day to you, to, Jim. It's Sandy. He called yesterday, the kids agreed to go. He's arranged to take them on the weekly trip to a recycling plant. We were to meet him there. But I don't think I can handle the drive, I was wondering if you could..." 

"What kids? Blair's on a site helping label dinosaur bones for a friend of his..." Jaw muscles flexed as Jim fought the need to hit something, preferably Sandburg. "That little ... Ok, what's he done now. What have you gotten him involved in." 

"He hasn't told you? Oh, Sandy..." 

"Get on with it Megan. What didn't he tell me." 

The flustered Aussie stuttered out the story of her father's friends - the Colemans - and their daughter Nancy. How the girl had met a man and been sucked into a cult known as The Family, taking her three kids with her. She had died a year ago, her parents gaining custody of the children. But The Family had whisked them away. After much searching and the hiring of a private investigator, they had been tracked to America. 

The Coleman's had contacted Megan as a family friend to help extract the kids, but her shot gun wound had made that an impossibility. However, Sandy had been the one to read the letter asking for her help, and had suggested he go instead. They had the insight from an undercover operative in Australia to help them. A satellite link was set up, and a cover story to get Blair in hashed out. They ended up using the cover of a rampant venereal disease that needed a specialists attention. An American specialists attention. 

"What?!" 

"Well, the group have some liberal sexual practices, so Blairs cover is he's contracted this thing and is over here to see a specialist doctor. It gets him out of their compound and keeps him safe from, um, invitations the group might make...You know, this sounded a lot better when Sandy was telling it." 

"I bet it did. When I see that little punk next I'm going to wring his neck. Where were you meeting him?" 

"Cloverdale Recycling." 

* * *

Blair was getting nervous. It was time to leave and Donald wasn't back with the group's car yet. They were dressed formally for the 'trip' to the recycling plant, Blair's carefully conceived educational outing, and waiting in the children's dorm. 

Little Emily, the two-year-old, sensing the tension in the air began to whimper. Without hesitation her brother reached over and began stroking between her legs. The little girl went lax, her eyes went dull and the whimpers stopped. 

Shocked Blair cleared his throat and asked, as neutrally as he could, "What're you doing Brian?" 

The boy frowned and jerked his hand away, not answering. Marie looked over from the doorway and murmured, "That's what they do to him, to keep him quiet." 

A terrible feeling shivered his spine and Blair fought to suppress the shudder. God, he had seen the way sex was carried on here...but this. God. 

There had been no regard given to who was present at either of the sexual 'encounters' he had witnessed, for child nor adult. 

Greg, the man who had briefed him about The Family, had said they claimed to be trying to 'unbind the sexual repression of modern man by reverting to the ways of the Primitive.' Well, Blair had studied the 'Primitive' up close and personal. The peoples that practiced sex before their children as a cultural norm could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Even people that lived in single room dwellings managed to pull 'private time' for sex. 

Previous rumors of molestation of children within The Family had so far been unproven. If what he was hearing now was true, it might be attached to this arm of the sect only. It would explain why there were so few children assigned to this group, normally The Family's youngsters out numbered the adults. 

Blair shuddered again as his mind went into overdrive imagining what these kid's had suffered here. Where was Donald with the damn car? Ms Sandburgs little boy was going to be very glad to get out of this place. 

* * *

Car keys in hand Blair made his way to the front door along the maze of interconnecting corridors. They were almost there, when one of the more prominent members of The Family came out of a room ahead of them, and coming up to the little group, placed a casual hand on the anthro students groin. 

"Feeling better?" Blair nearly jumped out of his skin. Jeez, these people. 

"Uh, no, not yet." Moving from foot to foot nervously, he waited for the guy to step aside so he could leave. But he didn't. Stepping even closer the sect member grabbed Blair's hand and forced it to his pants front, which was tenting in a well-known way. 

"I've been thinking, this 'disease' of yours won't be effecting your mouth, now, will it. And those lips look, inviting." 

Without thinking Blair jerked back with a yelp, " Not in front of the kids, man!" he gasped. 

The other man frowned. This was not the obedient response of a Family member. Twisting Blair's wrist he looked into the younger mans eyes. Emitting a disgusted snort, he motioned to Marie. Head bowed she came forwards. 

"You know what is happening child, don't you." His voice was kindly, his look paternal. 

"Yes sir." 

"You've done as much yourself, to help me?" 

Yes sir." 

"Come, show Blair how it is done." 

"Wha..." 

"Yes sir." 

Blair felt the air in his chest freeze, watching round eyed as the little girl knelt before the man. Almost he was too shocked to act, watching as she raised her hands to undo the mans belt, as he cupped the back of her pigtailed head tenderly. 

Shaking free of his sense of unreality, Blair went into action. The guy was still holding his wrist, so he jerked his arm up and pulled him around into his fist, which connected with a solid 'crack', at the same time putting a knee into his opponents groin. But as the man slid down the wall, curling around his damaged vitals, nose a bloody mess, three other Family members erupted from a side room and came towards them. Marie and Brian tried to fight them off, but their efforts didn't stop the adults, and soon Blair's world was black and silent. 

* * *

"How did Blair get in? I want the cover story, in detail this time." 

Jim and Megan were almost to their destination before the detective calmed down enough to start asking questions. Megan hoped this was a good sign. 

"Well, it was easy really. They have a sect based in Australia, with an undercover operative ready to come out. He gave Blair most of his story, phoning the American lot and letting them know he was coming. Blair just went to the airport and waited out the front to be picked up, then he was in like Flyn." 

"What about his accent, it's not Australian." 

"The Family all have American accents. They use tapes and things to encourage it, and try not to have much contact with the outside. It's all part of their bid to remain American citizens. They can go anywhere then, and have American protection. They stay at 'ready' stations, keeping their stuff in suitcases, ready at a moment's notice to abandon their compound and make a run for it. Makes it damn difficult to pin the buggers down. But in this case, it's worked against them. Sandy should do just fine. He'll walk out of there with the kids no worries." 

"You better hope so, Conner. You better hope so." 

* * *

It was damp, it was dark, his head hurt and his hands were tied up. What else was new? Oh, there were three little bodies pressed to his sides, huddled to him, shaking and scared. Great - now he remembered, the kids. He'd failed. 

"Hey, hey guys. Hi. What happened, did they say what they were gonna do?" 

They appeared to be in some sort of old laundry room, but it was mostly empty, except for the fittings on the wall and the pile of sheets they were lying on. 

Marie sat up and rubbed at her eyes. "They said they're gonna recondition you. That's bad, Blair. We saw them do that to Norma. They made us watch." The child's voice wavered and Blair looped his tied arms over her in a hug. 

"It's ok, shh. I've got friends, they know were we are. They'll come and get us out." 

"They better come soon," Brian gathered Annie into his lap and cuddled her. "Our Family is moving. I saw them gathering up the suitcases." 

Letting Marie go Blair struggled to his feet. He went over to the door (Locked) and pressed his ear to it. The sound of rapid packing, the slam of doors and the dragging of furniture could be heard. Just then a group of people stopped outside the door, and started speaking. 

"What about them? We can't relocate in secrecy and keep them secured. The children need severe punishment for their unruliness, we dare not risk them trying to escape us in the move." 

"And the others must witness it, to maintain order. But as you say, later. First things first. This is such bad timing. We will complete the move, but leave the wrong doers here for now. Donald will release Gator to watch them, then we shall pick them up when all else is done. Do you wish to correct our brother yourself?" 

"Yes, he needs several days in the coffin, then my love will guide him back to The Family." 

"Let us do it then." 

The group left, there was the sound of cars moving off and Blair shuddered. The coffin was a deprivation tank; he'd seen it the other day. No time to worry about that now, he had to get the kids out of there. 

"Marie, can you reach into my jeans left pocket, I've got a pocket knife there. Great, they didn't take it. Can you cut my..Yipe!" 

"Sorry!" The girl looked at him with big, scared eyes. Blair pressed on the cut at his wrist and grimaced at her. "'s OK, just a scratch. Marie, come on, I'm not going to hurt you." He calmed the girl's fears, then turned to inspect the lock on the door. 

A rush of relief swept him, then he fumbled in his coat pocket for his wallet. Someone who lost their keys as often as he did learnt a thing or two about picking locks. This was a job for his library card. Rubbing the blood from his fingers (the cut wasn't clotting, but he didn't have time to worry about that now) he soon heard the soft click of the bolt. 

Now, to deal with Gator. Or Alligator, as his full name was. Because of all the teeth. And Gator sure had a lot of teeth. Blair normally got on well with animals. Not this time. The heavyset bullmastif had given every sign of wanting to tear his throat out whenever Blair passed his cage. Now the mongrel was loose in the building. 75 kilos of mean, scarred, muscled killing machine. Teeth like knives. And the eyes weren't brown, like normal dogs. They were red and beady, full of menace. 

/OK, time to put my research into practice./ On a recent case Jim had been forced to shoot a guard dog that had attacked them. Blair felt there must have been another way to prevent the dog attacking them, and had researched dog attacks. What he found was fascinating, and while he found ways to avoid confrontation, being chased and mauled, he saw that Jim had acted correctly at the time. 

Seizing his courage Blair smiled encouragingly at the kids, told them to stay where they were until he called them, then went into the hall. Nothing was going to happen. Everything was going to go well. Sure. 

"Nice doggie. It's bad karma to bite people." Blair used his patented 'talking to spiders' voice as he scanned the hall. Dogs liked high voices, right? 

/Oh shit, here he comes./ Blair moved to the middle of the hall, opposite another open doorway. He checked that the door had a lock. It did. So far, so good, for his plan. There was the 'tack, tack, tack' of nails on floorboard, then the dog turned the corner, eyes blazing. 

Hoping he was doing the right thing, Blair sank to the floor, arms wrapped around his head, body curled into a ball. Emitting little grunts with every step the huge dog approached. Walking stiff legged to the prone human it nudged him with it's nose. Blair stayed perfectly still. Growling a little, teeth peeled back, drool falling in sticky strands from his mouth, Gator circled the unusual human. This was not how it was meant to go. He barked, but the human lay still Hmmm. 

Blair became aware that a car had pulled up outside. He almost panicked, but the sixth sense that he had been developing lately kicked in, and he knew it was Ellison, come to rescue him. 

"Jim, man, glad you could make it. But if you could just stay outside for a bit." He spoke softly; knowing the Sentinel would hear him, hoping he would do as he asked. "There's this dog. I'm trying to get it into a room. You come in now and it'll rip me to pieces." 

Just then the dog sensed the outsiders and moved to the end of the hall. Slowly Blair crawled to the other door and opened it. The move had taken more energy than he thought it would, he was unaccountably tired. Must be the stress. He felt a pressure on his leg and looked back to see that Gator had ahold of his leg. Great, just great. 

Clamping down on his bodies' reactions, Blair went limp, wrapping his head in his arms again, and whispering another plea for Jim to stay outside. 

* * *

"Conner, get back." 

"But damn it Jim, anything could be happening in there!" 

"He's got it under control, just wait." Megan settled back, aware that it was costing Jim more not to move in than it was her. 

Ellison was fighting a need to go in after his partner. He could smell Blair's blood. But his guide had asked him to wait, so he waited. 

* * *

When the big dog still got no response the confusion in its primitive mind began to annoy it. Had he been a little more closely related to his wild ancestors, the smell of blood alone would have been enough to have him tearing out his victims' throat. But he was no wolf. Domesticity had built in a need to react to certain triggers, and to ignore others. He awaited a struggling, fleeing pray. Letting go of the humans leg he began circling again, punching the prone figure with his nose. With still no response, he paced wider and into the room beyond the open door. 

Waiting until the dog reached the farthest wall, Blair reached up and slammed the door, turning the lock as he did. With trepidation, he listened as 75 kilos of angry dog hit it, but thankfully, it held. 

* * *

"Now." Jim kicked open the entrance and raced to find his partner. He found him slumped besides a shuddering door. He immediately started to tell them what had gone wrong, but the story was coming out jumbled and incoherent. 

"Megan, call an ambulance." 

Giving him a worried look the Aussie obeyed. Gently the bigger man drew off Blair's jacket, then the first of his outer shirts. Wadding it up he held it to Blair's wrist; which he had been applying pressure to and holding up all that time. 

The artery had been nicked, and Sandburg was losing blood. The dog bite on his leg had barely broken the skin, but the shock of it happening wasn't helping. Blood was smeared all down one side and along the corridor, and Jim didn't like the kid's colour. Blair was rambling on about child abuse and kidnapping, how they wouldn't get away with it this time. Jim nodded his head, held up his arm and waited for the ambulance. 

Megan went in to see to the kids, reassured them, called the police, called the Australian embassy and took peeks at the two in the hall way till the medics arrived. 

Ellison gave her some directions as Blair was treated, but went in the ambulance when it left, knowing she would handle everything else this end. 

He was the kids 'incase of emergency' contact after all. And he wanted to be sure Blair was going to be all right before killing him for pulling this stunt in the first place. 

* * *

The first thing Blair saw when he opened his eyes was one worried Sentinel. One very pissed off Sentinel, he was willing to bet, but for right now, he was worried. A straw was presented to Blair's lips, and he sucked on it gratefully. After a few gulps, he opened his mouth to explain everything, but Jim held a finger to his mouth. 

"Conner told me all." He saw the questions lining up in his partner's eyes, and held his finger firm. "The kids are fine. Megan got everything organized. It's been two days. The Australian connection came threw; dozens of charges are being laid - along with your unlawful imprisonment. I had Conner follow up on what you said about the sexual abuse. Marie and Brian are being counseled. Marie had a urinary infection, and other signs of interference." Tears welled up in Blairs eyes, he was too exhausted to hold them back, Jim just wiped them away with his thumb. "Don't worry Chief, they'll be OK. That dog was sent to the ASPCA. I picked up your back pack from the dorm." Jim smiled at the frustration in Blair's eyes. Not being allowed to talk was a terrible torture for him. Which was why Jim was going to insist on it for awhile longer. 

"What were you thinking? Don't answer that. What am I gonna do with you Chief?" He continued to lightly stroke under Blairs eyes, where the tears had fallen. "Look, you're my backup, but it's a two way street. I'm your backup too. But I'm a useless one if I don't know what you're up to. If you're worried I'd try to talk you out of something, take a look at your track record. I do almost anything you want, Sandburg. From now on, I want you to tell me when you plan stuff like this. Just nod." Blair did, and Jim sighed with relief. Then he pierced his 'little punk' room mate with fierce blue eyes. 

"Have you any idea how upset it makes me when you do stuff like this? I need this like I need a hole in the head. Just...let me know what's going down with you." 

"'kay." Blair croaked. Jim gave him a stern look, but ruffled his hair and gave him another sip of water anyway. The kid looked guilty, and that was the plan. No one did guilt like Sandburg. Maybe this time he would allow it to keep him out of trouble. 

Yeah, not likely. The Grad student was used to running his own show. Set up, act out, follow threw - all on Sandburgs shoulders. It would be good if he could get Blair to include Jim in his plans. Lord knows, Jim had cut back on his stupid stunts since Blair become his ride along. Maybe it would work in reverse and make Blair think before he acted. It was worth a try. 

"OK partner, go back to sleep. The doctors seem to think you need the rest." Jim patted his cheek and sat back in his chair. 

"'kay." Blair let his eyes drag close. He could hear Jim resettling himself in the hospital chair, and knew his friend would still be there when he woke again. He was glad the kids were OK. And the dog. /Only doing what it was trained to do... mm, getting hard to focus. Jim's gonna be my backup. Priceless, man, priceless. Hope I remember this when I wake up. Jim will probably tell it to me again anyway. And again, and again. The guy can be a pit bull...he said he was my backup/...and that was were Blair fell asleep. 

* * *

End The Family.

 


End file.
